The Ahi fiasco

My brother mentioned that his awesome wife bought him a spear to go fishing.  My husband got super excited and they began making plans for becoming the best spear fishermen who ever speared.  My mother overheard and got all excited about eating fresh fish.  The boys looked guilty and explained that the spear was on Oahu (we are currently on Maui) and since my mother wasn't going to be hopping islands with us she would not be able to partake.  To soften the blow we suggested that we find a fish market somewhere.  On our way to take Abby to the airport we passed a hand made sign next to the beach "Fresh Fish".  It only took a few moments to agree we had time, a U-turn was made, and Tyler jumped out to buy a fish from the back of a local's truck next to the dock.  We waited in anticipation, no idea what kind of fish, how big, or how much it would cost.  Tyler tells us later that the fisherman said our Ahi had been swimming in the ocean an hour or two before so this is as close to fresh as we were going to get.  Soon we saw him, looking quite pleased with himself for a man that didn't do anything to obtain a fish other than pay.  Who am I kidding?  We were all quite pleased with ourselves and began referring to it as "Tyler's fish".  Perhaps that was our way of bowing out of the butchering process.

7lb Ahi for $15.  At the Costco in Maui they were selling it for $14 a lb.  What a deal!  We ran it back to the condo and covered it with ice so we could take Abby to the airport.

This is before the realization that.....

We only have dull condo knives to clean and butcher this thing.  

Tyler was a good sport.  He spent a long time trying to butcher this thing because the plan was to grill the fillets.  He realized that the cannot sever the head with the tools at hand and he will have to change strategies.  I have to admire his ability to stay calm as he, splattered with blood, blood covering/spattered across the sink, counters, and floor, informs me he would like us, preferably all of us, to run to the store to get the needed items for fish tacos.  I learn later this is so none of us will see him panic and the blood bath that then ensued.  When we returned, the fish was butchered the kitchen was spotless, the garbage had been taken out, and there was Tyler, smiling and calm as if he had not just been a crazed butchering cleaning machine.  Inside he is freaking out.  He has never cooked Ahi and doesn't really know how.  Grilling it is easy.  This way is much harder to get right.  In the end, the fish was delicious, no one knew how panicked Tyler had been, and my parents and Richard had their first ever fish tacos.  We ate every last bit of it.